Mithra
Mithrans are one of the only “beast” races to be considered human. They are known for their hardiness and fitness, surviving the cruel Crescent isles and populating it. They don’t often leave the Crescent and those that do are feared by the common man. The Crescent The Crescent islands are surrounded by the Stave and Undine Seas and lie west of Saffron and east of Ewsel. Disregarding its size, the Crescent islands have a wide variety of landscapes, the big island hosting tropical rainforests, deserts, and small mountain ranges. It is the flattest country, with deserts making up most of the land. The flora and fauna of the Crescent are “megadiverse”, with unique creatures and plant life, including the Mithrans themselves. Physiology Mithrans are by far one of the most beastly races to be considered human, due to their resemblance to their God Pan'Bashet. Mithrans are covered in short fur and have panther-like countenances with lion-like manes. Because of their exposure and cultural mixture with other races, some Mithrans have taken to shaving and cutting their manes to match the hairstyles of men. Their teeth and claws are extremely sharp and their claws are retractable and voluntary. They have generally short and fluffy tails that resemble those of a bobcat. Their eye colors are generally golden (indicating beast heritages) though some human mixes have produced brown/blue/green-eyed children. The fur patterns range from dark spot patterns to light, barely visible patterns. Culture The Mithrans inherited Ewsel and the Crescent archipelago around the same time the first Elves were given Heli. They were driven out of Ewsel by warring human tribes at some point and have remained exclusive to the Crescent Archipelago ever since. The region has been stable for thousands of years and eventually unified as a sovereign force to repel other nations. The government of the Mithrans consists of the one godsblood ruler and their siblings. The siblings tend to deal more with the political sides of things and the godsblood plays a face and religion role. It is common for higher-up males to have many wives, but this doesn’t singularly represent the marital process. No matter how many wives a man wants, he must work hard to attract them. Each wife must be impressed before she chooses to be wed. Typically this surrounds the Mayfair during which males demonstrate their capability in a large festival. The Mayfair consists of several contests that all males who wish to mate must participate in, from the godsblood himself to the lowest beggar. There are no female prostitutes due to the societal reverence of women, which has led to a gradual increase of young male prostitutes who have created an art out of imitating women on the outskirts of large cities. Out in the world, Mithrans are respected by other races and nations but the common person often mistakes them for beasts. Honorifics: Formal Suffixes: * -koor: Commonplace title of respect used between equals of any age, equivalent to “Mister”, “Miss”, or “Missus” * -unna: More respectful, for people of higher rank than oneself, guests, and customers, equivalent to “Lord” and “Lady” * -yaana: Used specifically for sovereign royalty, essentially meaning “Majesty” * -buna: Used for foreign royalty, similar to “Highness” * -eta yaana: Used for the consorts of a prince or princes Informal Suffixes: * -soor: used by anyone addressing males who they are attached to or know well. Alternatively used in formal settings for males who are beneath one’s status * -noora: Generally used for babies, young children, adolescents and grandparents. Also used for cute things, lovers, close friends, youthful women. Using -noora with anyone of higher status is extremely rude. Work-related Prefixes: * Toke: A lord or lady, tribe leader, etc * Ata: Unmarried woman who cares for children * Keka: For those gifted in magics * Misa: For a soldier * Kobe: For a domestic-related worker Notable Mithrans: * Kassidi: a very beautiful Mithra, famous for wedding herself to a Compiener lord and rejecting the affections of the late King Eeric (Father of Prince Alpheric and son of Pan'Bashet) * Prince Alpheric of Suqiia: the current ruler of the Crescent Isles, unmarried. * Toke Gita Davi: the ruler of the city of Arguz * Toke Ahoun Tanes: the ruler of the city of Ugtak * Cuivre Jone: grandson of Kassidi * Lady Alea Jone nee DuFour: daughter of Kassidi and Alphonse DuFour * Kobe Adolpho Jone: commoner husband of Lady Alea Jone